Better This Way
by Lonely Wayfarer
Summary: After the leaving Fishman Isle, Nami thinks of how much different her life would've been if it weren't for Jimbei's decision and if she would really want for things to be different.


**Hello everyone! First of all… Happy Birthday to Luffy! Second, I'm sorry for the delay with the oneshots I promised but my laptop stopped working and I lost the story I was working on (as well as all my video games) so now I'm using my home computer. I was kind of depressed and, because I didn't have anything better to do, I watched over a hundred episodes of One Piece in a few days to catch-up with the series. Just now, I finished the Fishman Isle arc… Wow… There were so many LuNa moments that I can't believe anyone has brought out, today's story is based on what happens after Jimbei tells the story of 15 years ago to Sanji, Nami, and Luffy (who missed out on it). It was subtle, very subtle, and I'll talk about it more after the story. What I will say right now is that I now hate Sanji even more :D! This is set after they leave the Fishman Isle.**

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** Better This Way**

Nami let out a dragged out and long sigh as she slumped her arm on the railing of the ship while her other arm leaned against it so she could rest her head on the palm of her hand. So much has happened in the span of one and a half days, arriving on the island, the battle against Hordy, the party after they put him in his place, and finally leaving the island. It all seemed like they were reliving the battle back in her island against Arlong who also hated humans with a passion. But, it was all over yet again. Though there was still something that wouldn't leave her mind at rest, Jimbei's story.

If Jimbei hadn't accepted being a warlord, nothing would have happened to her. She could've had a normal childhood with her mom and sister. Collecting mikans, playing around with other kids, and living a normal life. Nami would have been happy living her life those eight years, yet she spent it stealing from pirates in life threatening situations so she could save her village and herself. Don't get her wrong, she doesn't have a grudge against Jimbei, she forgave her after all. In fact-

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt something wrap around her legs, belly, upper torso (just barely missing her breast), and neck until it stopped a few inches from her face. "Oi Nami! Is something wrong?" said the face with a scar under his left eye and a straw hat on top of his raven-black hair.

"Kyaaaaah! Luffy! I already told you not to do this!" said Nami after giving a small shout. She took hold of her captain's neck like she did a few hours prior trying to unravel him off her. Luffy slowly began to retract his neck being as gentle as he could so that he wouldn't accidently constrict her like a snake. Once his elongated neck was off her, his head shot back to his body taking its respective space.

"So what's wrong?" he asked again. Luffy walked to her side and set down both arms on Sunny's railings.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking."

"Hmmm," he responded as he picked on his nose. "About what?"

"It doesn't concern you," Nami said in a weird toned, not really annoyed but not calm either

"Is it what Jimbei said about Arlong? Sanji told me that you forgave him."

"Well Sanji also told him to cut his stomach to prove that he is sorry but I don't see you concerned about that!" she said with an even more annoyed voice. True that what Nami just said didn't have much sense in this context but she hoped it would keep the persistent rubber man off the subject.

"Nani?! He did?!"

"Yea… you were asleep when he said that. Why don't you go after him and ask him why he said it," it was more an order than a question.

"I'll ask him later, first I want to know what's bothering you."

Nami took a long drag of air, he wasn't going to leave her alone until he was given a satisfying answer, "I told you nothing's wrong with me. I'm just thinking about… what if…"

"'What if' what?" asked Luffy with a confused look.

"What if… Arlong never came. You missed this part of the story but because Jimbei was captain of the Sunny Pirates and Arlong was still a member, he was set free when Jimbei became a warlord. Arlong left and made his own crew. After that, he came to my village." Memories resurfaced yet again in Nami's mind, from when they arrived on her town to when they killed her mother right in front of her.

"If that wouldn't have happened, my mother would still be alive and we would be picking mikans from our orchard with my sister. We'd be poor but at least we would have each other and we'd be happy living in our small house. I know I love money but no one can love it more than family." A sad smile swept across her face, she flinched a bit when she felt something wrap around her belly and upper torso (yet again barely missing her breast).

Nami could see past her shoulder and saw Luffy embracing her in a very intimidate way with his usual smile, he obviously didn't know that this action was a very couplish thing to do. The orange haired navigator blushed slightly, she would've pushed him away but no one was around the deck at the moment except for Zoro who was sleeping on the other side and Robin who was deeply engrossed on her book. Nami just calmed down placing both hands on his enveloping arms relaxing on Luffy's embrace.

"If I could, I would go back in time and stop that from happening! I know that you suffered a lot because of that bastard! Maybe there is a Devil Fruit that lets you travel through time, **(A/N: SELF REFERENCE!)** maybe we could find it and-"

"NO!" she half-screamed tightening her hold on him. "Promise me that you will never do that!" Luffy's eyes widened from the odd request, "It's true that… I wish I'd never have had to go through all that! That my mom would have never died and that Arlong would have never come to my island! But…"

She stopped for a second, considering if she should go through this. A small gasp escaped from Nami's mouth as she felt Luffy place his hand on her cheek to wipe away tears she never knew were coming out. With that simple gesture her mind was made. "But…" she continued. "If it had never happened I wouldn't have gone in so many adventures, I wouldn't have made so many friends, I wouldn't have been this close to my dream."

Slowly she began caressing his hand, "I wouldn't have met you, Luffy." Now a small and extremely subtle gasp left his mouth, Nami just smiled as it was the reaction she was hoping for. She turned around to meet his gaze, "You really are one of a kind. You're the most selfless person I know, you're nice and you know how to make people happy. You can be annoying sometimes, also you're way too childish and innocent for your own good, and you are the biggest moron I know."

Luffy gave a little pout that soon went away as soon as Nami wrapped her thin and elegant arms around his neck. For the first time ever, Luffy looked at his navigator. He didn't see her, he looked at her. Looked at her flowing orange hair that glistened be to the lights coming from the darkness of the sea. Looked at her slender limbs which were as white as milk compared to his somewhat tanned body. Looked at her body not in a lustful sense but in marvel and worship. Finally, he looked at her eyes.

"But… you are my moron," those chocolate colored eyes. "I love you…" Deep pools of melted sweets. "…Luff-Hmmf!" That was unexpected, completely unexpected. Nami thought she was the one who had to come at him and while that was partially true in this situation, it was Luffy who got tired of waiting and kissed her. Recovering from the initial shock, Nami didn't mind and just hugged his neck even tighter just to feel more of him but not enough to suffocate him. Luffy responded by sliding his hand through her hair and onto the back of her to push his navigator closer to him and deepen the kiss.

He could then feel her tongue lick his lips asking for entrance. He obliged and Nami's tongue began to explore every area of his mouth from the trenches between his cheeks and teeth to the roof of where his tongue resided picking the taste of the variety of foods he has eaten, it was truly an exotic taste. Luffy's tongue then began to dance with hers as it wrapped around it like a snake not really wanting to let go, Nami didn't have a problem as she didn't want to let go of him neither. She wanted to be like this to the ends of time. Her tongue pulled his along with her to her own mouth, the taste here was also extravagant.

The taste of sweets and desserts invaded his bud as well as some alcohol from the night prior though Luffy didn't mind. This is what he expected Nami to taste like, sweet but bitter at the same time. Yet there was another taste that stood out among the rest, the taste if mikans. It was incredibly sweet, the entire thing was wonderful for him as Luffy believe that this showcased his navigator's personality. She can be grumpy while at the same time be friendly but when she is truly nice, it is a rarity that is only given to people who deserve it and it's one that Luffy has experienced firsthand.

The need to breath forced the two to pull back though they were already satisfied enough. Luffy greeted her with a grin one that she will never get tired of. "You're mine captain, only mine," she Nami said with a loving smile.

"I guess you're not a hero then!" he said followed by a chuckle. Nami knew what he meant and just gave him a quick peck on his lips. "Don't worry Nami, neither am I."

"That's fine with me."

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**If you didn't get the last part then you'll get it once you get to Fishmen Isle. On another note f*** Sanji (RANT MODE ACTIVATED)! He acted like a total asshole to Jimbei (if Luffy was awake then ten bucks saying he would have snapped at the Ero-Cook) and he put Nami's life in danger by overreacting in a situation in which she didn't need protecting at all, if Brook wasn't there then Nami would've been dead. If you like Sanji, that's your opinion and I will go into bigger depth of why I hate him when I make my list of my favorite crew members on my bio.**

**Now to talk about LuNa, there was a lot of LuNa hints in this arc. One that stood out the most to me though it was very subtle was when Sanji told Jimbei to commit seppuku to apologize to Nami. And what did said navigator do? Well first she snapped at Sanji (YES) and she approached the situation like Luffy would. She didn't blame him for anything, said it doesn't matter because it's in the past (something Luffy has done throughout the series and is how he forgave Nami after she betrayed them) and she even thanked Jimbei for it because she wouldn't have met the crew weren't it for Arlong coming to her village. Also let's not forgot the worried expression she had after they defeated the 50,000 pirates and the officers when everyone else was celebrating. I think Oda will most definitely pair up Luffy and Nami later in the series. LuNa fans, rejoice!**


End file.
